Missing Mykonos

I’ve been back two weeks now and I’m still missing The Windy Island. With all the grey weather and lack of Glastonbury ticket to cheer me up, I’ve been suffering major post-holiday blues. Someone take me back to the sunshine..

Mykonos is such a gorgeous island; I seriously regret not taking my DSLR along with me! One whole week of sea, sand, sunshine and pure indulgence.. and it already feels like it was a lifetime ago. I’ve always been a little bit in love with the Greek islands: the people, the food, the scenery. They’re all so different from one another, each island is buzzing its own personality and quirks. Mykonos is definitely one of my favourite islands now. There’s the glamour of Mykonos town with its designer shops and champagne bars. The restaurants and cocktail bars lining Little Venice, so close to the water’s edge that they’re almost spilling into the sea. It’s the heartbeat of the island. But I was glad in a way that we weren’t staying in it. I’m all for partying but when it comes to holidays, I tend to prefer to just relax – I like to stay somewhere away from the chaos. Somewhere I can leave when I want to go and find a little excitement, without having it imposed on me while I’m trying to relax with a book. Ornos was perfect for that. And of course, Agios Ioannis, the beach immortalised in one of my favourite films, Shirley Valentine. We visited there one day when a storm was threatening to break. Accidentally stumbling on the taverna that was used in the film, we sat sipping white wine and nibbling on fresh bread with olives, tzatziki, grilled talagani and tomatoes, as little droplets of rain fell on our table. It didn’t bother us too much though, we were too relaxed to let anything phase us.

It was like Shirley Valentine said, ‘It was like I’d come to the far side of paradise. And I loved it’. There’s something about the relaxed way of life that calms me down right away. As soon as I’d stepped off the plane, and felt the warm air rush at my face, it was though a weight had been lifted. A whole week to stop worrying about everything.